- Author: Brooke Jacobs
The Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center is organizing a two day international meeting, Understanding and Preparing for the Threat of Plum Pox Virus Spreading to California and the Western States, to address a new threat to the U.S. stone fruit industry, Plum Pox Virus (PPV, aka sharka disease). The meeting will be held in Giedt Hall on the UC Davis campus on September 29th and 30th, 2014.
Click HERE for more information and online registration
Plum Pox Virus is an exotic invasive pathogen spread by aphids which infects Prunus tree crops (including plum, prune, cherry, almond, peach and apricot). The virus compromises tree health, causes premature fruit drop (Picture 1), and reduces fruit quality (Pictures 2). Infected fruit is not suitable for fresh market and most processed products.
Plum pox virus was identified in Europe in the early 20th century, and has rapidly spread world-wide since the late 1980s, likely due to the globalization of trade and travel. PPV is now present in all major fruit growing countries except the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The central valleys of California are particularly vulnerable to this threat because of the high concentration of Prunus crops, and a lack of geographical barriers to the spread of the disease by insects.
The upcoming meeting is open to all members of the stone fruit industry interested in learning more about the threat posed by PPV, and the development of measures to manage the disease in California.
The goals of this meeting include:
- Update on the status and spread of PPV worldwide
- Exchange ideas for strategies to be used in the event that PPV is introduced in California and the Western US
- Promote awareness of educational and extension tools to provide information about the threat of PPV and its potential spread in the US
- Identify research programs that could minimize the threat of PPV to the US stone fruit industry.
- Develop a response plan for PPV outbreak in California.
- Explore funding opportunities to support projects and actions identified during the conference.
Source of images:
L. Levy, V. Damsteegt, R. Scorza, and M. Kolber. 2000. Plum Pox Potyvirus Disease of Stone Fruits. APSnet Features Accessed June 16, 2014
https://www.apsnet.org/publications/apsnetfeatures/Pages/PlumPoxPotyvirus.aspx